As a believer in the power of positive thinking to facilitate extraordinary goodness in the world, Crown often asks herself, “What’s not wrong today?” Out of this simple concept grew EMANARE, an interactive multimedia installation that was presented as part of Intersect 21. 

Crown was inspired by Buddhist prayer wheels and the Latin word emanare (meaning to flow out, send forth, emit), to create this outdoor public art experience. Passersby are asked to scan the EMANARE QR code to submit their own uplifting message of hope and positivity. Once approved by moderators, their sentiments are transformed into colorful graphics and displayed on the LED screens. 

Layers of messages scroll against a backdrop of morphing colors borrowed from Crown’s painting palette. New messages are constantly added, turning viewers into collaborators. 

“In this project, you pause, you have an intention, and then you have an action,” Crown told a Palm Springs Life reporter. “The process is what’s important right there, not so much that it shows up but that we’ve taken time to get out of ourselves to think about good things that can happen in the world. And it starts with us.” 

Pictured: EMANARE (2021), multimedia installation on the exterior of the former Presage retail space on El  Paseo, Palm Desert, CA